


Much Too Alike

by wickedorin



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: AU, Fluff, Gen, OC, Waffles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-01
Updated: 2014-07-01
Packaged: 2018-02-08 04:48:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1927170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wickedorin/pseuds/wickedorin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written as a fill for a drabble request on AwaitingMassProduction: "Argente is frustrated with Kurou. Kotetsu and Barnaby notice and try to help by prying it out of him."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Much Too Alike

It had started with the waffles. At least, there hadn’t been any signs until that point, and definitely nothing obvious enough to pick up on. It was just a minor thing, batter poured and left on a little too long before Argente removed and plated the full Belgian waffle. He apologized, but Kotetsu volunteered to take that one, “Since it’s gonna be covered in great stuff anyway.”

When the second waffle came out lumpy and even a touch more singed, Barnaby and Kotetsu looked at one another. Granted, Argente was in Barnaby’s apartment and using a brand new appliance that he had no previous experience with, but even then…

"Is there something wrong with the waffle maker?" Barnaby attempted somewhat subtly.

The clone barely noticed he was being spoken to for a few seconds before finally blinking and turning to the blond. “What? Oh, I… Sorry. I can try it again—”

"Argente, is something going on?" Kotetsu broached the subject first. "You’re usually, y’know. More…"

"Focused." Barnaby supplied softly.

"No, no, everything’s fine." The clone answered a bit too quickly, giving the waffle batter a gentle stir. "I’m just… it’s alright, really. Just a little distracted. People get that way, right?"

"You have a headache?" Kotetsu was honestly trying to be helpful. If Kaede had been there, she’d have corrected him in thinking that he was just being helpful and pointed out that he was doing “that parental thing”, but the intention was pure. “I can finish this up if you need to sit down or… whatever.”

"I’m fine, really.” But there wasn’t much assurance in those words, Argente sighing immediately after. He didn’t even fight Barnaby gently removing the bowl and spoon from his hand, Kotetsu guiding the clone out of the kitchen and onto the brand new couch in the previously mostly empty room.

With the waffle batter refrigerated and Barnaby joining them on the couch, it seemed that the “most experienced” of all of them needed to start, to give that little push. “Now tell us what’s wrong, yeah? Or did you want Kurou here? I’m sure he’d understand if he has to hold off on getting that project done over the weekend, y’know?”

Argente sighed loudly, slumping. He was tempted to apologize and keep it to himself, but the words spilled out before he could stop them. “Kurou’s really stressed about his technology conference presentation. I mean, he won’t admit it and he might not look it, but he is. He won’t even let me help, he’s so convinced that all of this preventing AI consciousness stuff is something only he has to worry about or deal with and it’s really starting to get to me that he seems to think he needs to handle it all on his own.”

After a long stretch of silence, Kotetsu could only respond, “Well… yeah, that’s a thing.”

Barnaby couldn’t possibly help but chuckle even as he rolled his eyes. “The concern is understandable.”

"He won’t even talk about it." Argente added quietly. "Like… just the mention of it is a bad thing. I know he’s just… trying to ‘protect me’ or something, but…"

"It drives you crazy." Barnaby filled in. Maybe a little too quickly.

”Yes.” Argente responded with equal speed.

Kotetsu couldn’t quite get it out of his mind that he ought to feel just the slightest bit offended. “Well, I mean… have you two talked about this?”

Argente sighed quietly. “No. I’m afraid to bring it up. He’ll just… hide things more.”

"Hey, now, he’s not really hiding things from you, y’know.” The brunet argued. “At least I’m pretty sure he doesn’t mean it like that. It’s just not like him.”

"I know, I know. That’s what makes it even worse." Argente sighed. "He’s… doing his best. What he thinks is best. But I think he’s convinced that he has to do everything by himself.”

"On his own." Barnaby commented, satisfied with the nod he got in return. Turning to Kotetsu, he declared, "You two are much too alike."

"Hey, what did I do?" Barnaby’s mild glare seemed to answer him, however. "Uh. Well."

Argente laughed softly. “I just… don’t want him to feel like he has to keep everything to himself. But I don’t want him to feel like he’s gonna burden me with stuff.” Sitting in silence for a moment, he groaned at the realization, “He’s going to feel bad when he knows I’ve been annoyed—pissed off. And worried.”

Barnaby took a deep breath and sighed. The circular logic and spiraling thoughts weren’t exactly new to him. “He should know, and you should tell him. Simple as that. You two have always been honest with each other.”

"I guess that’s true." Not that the clone sounded entirely convinced.

"Well, you know." But the two stares Kotetsu got in response assured him that whatever he wasn’t saying out loud didn’t seem to be common knowledge. "Sometimes you… care so much for someone that you don’t want to be a bother. You’re not trying to hold things back, it just… kind of happens because maybe it feels like a burden to talk about it, right? It might not be a… real thing, and not a good thought, but still. I’m sure it’s just how he thinks he should handle things.”

"Then how the hell do I convince him not to do this?" Argente asked without any real heat to his words.

At that point, there seemed very little to do aside from simply turn the conversation over to Barnaby. The blond shook his head with a little smile. “I guess you don’t, entirely. But talking about it will make Kurou better about not doing this in the future, I’m sure. He… definitely wants you to be a part of his life. So I think he’ll understand if you just talk to him about it.”

There was a large rush of breath from the clone, but he didn’t look particularly put out by the advice. “Yeah. Alright. When he gets home.”

"There you go." Kotetsu smiled widely, lightly slapping Argente’s knee. "So now more waffles, yeah?"

"Kotetsu." Barnaby began to admonish.

"What? Waffles!" The brunet stood, absolutely not allowing anything to interfere with his "logic". Perhaps it was a bit difficult to argue with waffle logic, regardless.


End file.
